


The Promise

by Strange_Music



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Episode: s01e09 Into the Forest I Go, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sporedrive, midseason finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 00:50:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12716361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strange_Music/pseuds/Strange_Music
Summary: The Aftermath of the Midseason Final Episode "Into the Forest I go"





	The Promise

Hello everyone!  
It has been some time since my last written story, longer since my last finished one and even much longer since I wrote one that I actually posted. 

Thing is....as much as I still don't know where to place my feeling for STD as a Star Trek Series …I just adore Stamets and Culber. 

And after the midseason finale my muse dusted off, cleared her throat decided to for once in a while kick my ass to write AND finish something. 

The Episode was still way too much Michael for my taste. But then again I have very little patience when it comes to her storyline. Especially, when it takes away too much screen time from Stamets and Culber. I don’t care for her and Tyler and would rather have seen the end of the jumps and everything that happened then watch them talk.  
I would really appreciate any offer for Beta Reader because I know that Word cannot solve all my problems…especially the commas.

The Promise  
By Strange Music

Paul kept his promises. 

That’s why Hugh sees them right in front of him. In their multi-coloured costumes and even more brightly coloured wigs.  
He can feel the music surrounding him. Can feel his heart beating to the heavy tones enclosing them. 

He lays a Hand on Paul’s knee to get his attention. Smiles when he sees his husband quickly tring to remove the pained look that had been on his face only a few seconds earlier, after one especially high tone. So very clearly no fan of the music or the whole spectacle surrounding it. But he tries and endures it all, just for him. Which makes him feel just a bit guilty for actually holding him to his word, when he could just as well have forgotten about the promise.

But he didn't and true to his word Paul kept his promise. As he always did. 

Just like his promise for one last jump. One last time for Hugh to have to watch him be in pain, without being able to help him. One last time, when he steps into the chambers that Hugh hated so much. One last time, when he didn't know what might happen when he steps out again. 

Paul thought he had hidden it quite well. Thought he was clever. Which he definitely is. But there was only so much that he could hide from him when he knew him too well. So he had seen the signs. He was just too...

"Doctor..." he looks up to see Kate, one of the nurses, bend over to turn off the music. The sudden silence almost too deafening to bear. Only to make him wish it back, when the noises of the machine were starting to surround him. 

He glares at her. 

Which almost makes her stop in her tracks. She isn't used to that sort of behaviour from him. Knows him only as the friendly happy doctor that always smiles and never minds to help anybody in need at anytime. 

But she decides to ignore him and check the instruments instead. To give him a few more moments to collect himself. 

Drawing a hand over his face he feels how stiff his hands had gotten from being held in one position for much too long. 

When he lays it back on the bed, he feels himself lean back into the chair. Eyes closed for only a moment. Only a few seconds. When he opens them again she is right in front of him. 

"You have to get some sleep. Just for a few hours at least. I promise to wake you as soon as anything changes."  
He doesn’t ask her what she means by that. After all they still have yet to find out their current location. 

He just blinks at her, unsure how to reply. Unsure how to react to her offer. He knows that she means well. Hell, he would have done the same thing were the shoe on the other foot. 

But it wasn't.

While he was still contemplating the friendliest way to tell her to go to hell she continued "We put up a cot next door. You will only be a few feet away. I know you want to stay, but it has been more than 3 days and you need sleep as well. You know he won’t be happy once he wakes up and finds you like this. He doesn't like me that much to begin with. That would not help my position with him if I let you run yourself to the ground without even at least trying to stop you"

Hugh blinks at her. He wants to tell her that Paul actually like his colleges. At least most of them. Has actually said plenty of nice things once they are back at home. That it is just the way he is. He wants to tell her that he wouldn't blame her at all. But he knows he would. Paul would argue with them letting him stay up that long. He would probably rant and rave and glare. Yes he would definitely glare at them. 

And then he would tell him that he was an idiot and that staying at his bedside watching him sleep would not change anything. 

But he wasn't sleeping. You wake up from sleep. Wake up fresh and new.

Paul didn't wake up and now 3 days after his collapse the CMO was more and more unsure on how to specify his current condition and even more whether or not it was really still to be classified as temporary. 

They no longer talk to him about his husband condition.

‘He is too close to the patient for that’ they told him too many times on the first day, in the few hours. Of course he was, after all that was his husband lying there. But he stopped asking them altogether on the second day. Quite capable to read the instruments himself. Thank you very much. 

He blinks again when he realised that he missed Kate saying something else to him. Blinks again at her, when he sees her come to the same solution. She sights and lays a hand on his shoulder. 

"Well it was worth a try..." and she leaves again. 

He stands up. His body, just like his hands, complaining about being held in a certain position for much too long. And for a moment he really thinks about lying down. Just for a few moment. Maybe an hour or two. 

But then he looks at Paul and the thought is gone. 

Walking up to him he softly strokes through his hair and places a quick kiss on his head. 

For a second he thought he saw his eyelids move. For a short second he expected him to wake up and tell him to go to bed himself. That he certainly could sleep on his own quite well as he has done so for quite a few years.

And for a second he held his breath waiting for just that. 

But nothing happened.

After smoothing the blanket he reached up to touch his cheek

"You promised me that we would go to the opera remember. You have always kept your promises so far. I don't think you would want to break that streak"

Nothing. 

Reaching up he turned on the opera again. It had been a present from Paul to their first anniversary. A present that he knew back then came with the price and the hope that this would mean that a good quality recording like this might save him from ever having to endure it in person.

No Paul wouldn't be happy at the opera. He would roll his eyes.

Sigh much louder than would be considered polite once that first 2 hour mark would have passed. He would check his watch when he would be certain that Hugh wouldn't catch him. Would stifle a yawn and scratch his hand. He would be bored stiff before even one third of the opera would be over. He would lay his head back and would probably start to contemplate what else he could do that would be much more important. Would maybe do a few quick calculation in his head. 

But there would be one thing he wouldn't do. Leave. 

Because he had promised him that they would go.  
Had promised him that he would be there.  
And that’s why he remained at his husband’s bed waiting for him to wake up.  
Knowing that the others probably thought that there was no chance and that his brain was probably destroyed with no chance to repair from the jumps.  
But he knew his husband better than them. Know that if there was even a slight chance he would fight his way back.  
After all he had promised that they would go to that moon near Starbase 46 to watch La Bohéme  
And after all, Paul always kept his promises.  
The End

Remembering  
Your touch  
Your kiss  
Your warm embrace  
I'll find my way back to you  
If you'll be waiting  
The Promise – Tracy Chapman

I hope my English is not too rusty. Although I do write it pretty regular most of it is office English and therefore not so much what is considered to be something that would be considered poetic.


End file.
